Nick Luck Daily: Norton Grove’s Jess Rummel

Jess Rummel, one of a number of family members to have got stuck in at Yorkshire’s Norton Grove Stud, spoke to Nick Luck for this week’s Weatherbys bloodstock segment.


Four years since the podcast last checked in with North Yorkshire’s Norton Grove Stud, its Jess Rummel spoke to Nick Luck about the recruitment of Mayson, new on the organisation’s now five-strong stallion roster.

“It was a very last-minute sort of deal,” Rummel admitted. “At the beginning of January, we had a phone call from the stud [Oak Lodge] where he was staying in Ireland, asking if we’d be interested in him. We had a great discussion, and it didn’t really take long to come to a decision. We got back to them and said ‘yes’.”

Now 18, Mayson enjoyed a stellar year at four, winning the (then Listed, now Group 3) Abernant Stakes, before claiming the Palace House Stakes not long later.

Despite starting at relatively long odds, he would claim his signature victory that season too, landing the July Cup by five lengths over a field that included the likes of Society Rock and Ortensia.

On his subsequent start in the Prix de l’Abbaye, he was only a neck second.

Initially retired to Chevely Park, just up the road from the site of his July Cup heroics, Mayson moved to Ireland in time for the 2024 season, standing for €4,250 both that year and in 2025.

He is, however, well used to Yorkshire surroundings, having been trained by Richard Fahey, whose yard lies less than two miles from Norton Grove, in the same town of Malton.

“He’s a popular name who’s well-known around this area,” confirmed Rummel of her new arrival, “and a lot of trainers near us have his offspring. He’s got such a nice race page and a very nice pedigree. We wanted a sprinter… we’ve got Electrolyte, who was a sprinter, but Mayson has already got the horses on the floor, which obviously helps a lot. Our last really good sprinter was Pastoral Persuits [who died in 2021], so we wanted someone to take over what we had coming in from him.”

Luck reminded listeners that not only had Mayson landed a July Cup, but that he had also sired one in the form of 2020 winner Oxted.

He also spoke of how he saw Mayson as having been a “tremendously durable” stallion and a source of a “tremendous” number of winners at a variety of distances, not only over sprint trips.

“He came to us looking amazing,” shared Rummel, “and he has settled in really well. He’s full of life and is regularly on the walker and out lunging in the paddock.”

Rummel, who is one of many generations to have got involved in looking after the family-run business, added that Mayson is a “really nice horse to deal with.”

Serving Yorkshire

Luck suggested that the stud doesn’t so much sit in Yorkshire as serve Yorkshire and Rummel confirmed that the local connection is “really important”, explaining that it receives the support of numerous local trainers and breeders.

“It’s nice to have some good horses on the doorstep,” she confirmed, “because a lot of people obviously send them down to Newmarket. It’s nice to have some affordable ones who are easy to get to and support, and local trainers who can put them on the racetrack to see how they do.”

Luck shared his fondness for Argentine Tango, a Tim Easterby-trained now three-year-old daughter of Mattmu, whom Norton also stand, as she ran “pretty much at every big festival and gave it her all every time.”

Luck suggested that Mattmu was a bit of a “sleeper hit” and asked if Argentine Tango’s exploits had provided him with a bit of a popularity bounce.

“He’s definitely setting up better for this year,” Rummel responded. “From what I understand, Argentine Tango is back in training and she carries his characteristics, which is good to hear. She’s determined, strong and has a good bit of fight to her attitude. Hopefully, shell carry that on and keep improving his [her sire’s] statue as she goes.”

The pair also discussed the stud’s Midnight Sands, whose first crop are now yearlings.



Rummel said he had come to Norton via Richard Fahey, that she thought his owners still had horses in training with Fahey, and that they were breeding from Midnight Sands to both support the sire and set up horses to race.

“I have to admit, my soft spot is probably for Electrolyte,” said Rummel of another newbie, who at two had finished second to Rashabar in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. “He’s very athletic and forward-going.”

Rummel, who said Electrolyte has “such a kind nature”, added that he also had the “page to match” and said a few years ago Norton had been offered a covering to his sire, Hello Youmzain, which was turned down but meant the Norton team had started to follow his pedigree.

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